Hermione knocked gently before pushing Blaise's door open. Briefly, she wondered where she was and then why she was here. Then the room swam and she remembered, staggering forward. Blaise, who'd been laying shirtless on his bed twisted to sit up,

"Bella?" He said gently. Hermione felt as though she'd never heard his voice before. She heard the concern there and the slight scolding but she didn't care. "Bella, what's happened?" she climbed across the end of the bed, tears in her eyes. His skin was cool and smooth and oh it smelled so good, like warm sugary sweets. She fell forward into it and he caught her by her shoulders. He swore in Italian as her cheek brushed against his smooth chest and her hands on his sides.

"Blaise? You're so cold."

"I am not cold!" he squawked, "I am on always warm, mia, you are on fire!" He pulled at her gently, gathering her in his lap, "talk to me, beautiful. Tell me what is wrong."

"I am hot." She moaned the declaration, pressing her face to his chest again, "Blaise," she sobbed dryly, "help me. It hurts, Blaise, everything hurts! Help me, please!" some part of her recognized the worry on his face but she was on fire and she needed help.

Blaise gathered Hermione in his arms and against his body. She hurt so badly that if she tried to move, she thought she might die. Seeing her struggle, he shook his head,

"Be still, mia!" it was a nearly panicked bark, a command; so she stilled. Blaise had her, she told herself, she'd be okay. Blaise kicked the door in front of them, "Black! Black, assist me this instant! BLACK! WAKE UP!"

"Who's black?" Hermione moaned. He shushed her. Sirirus' door swung open, alarm in his eyes, wand in his hand. "no one wears a shirt anymore." Hermione observed.

"What's wrong?"

"She is ill." Blaise replied, "she just came in to my room asking for help. She is…I do not know the English word, blast you! Her skin is blazing!"

"Fever." Remus breathed behind Sirius, "she has a fever." He felt her skin and frowned, "Siri! Something is wrong!" Hermione reached out for the werewolf as others began to pile into the hall sleepily, staring.

"Moony," she cooed sadly, tears in her eyes, "it all hurts. Moony, make it stop." He looked like he might cry as he gathered her away from Blaise.

"Mione, I'm gonna do the best I can, baby."

"Moony." She croaked, "I am going to vomit."

"I don't care if you do, I can't put you down or stop right now, I smell disease all over you."

"Moony, it hurts."

"Moony! Where are you going?!" Sirius wailed, "is she okay?"

"I don't know!" Remus called, "St. Mungos! Siri, no one here can help her; I smell it."

"RUN, then, man!"

"No! No!" Hermione wailed, tears streaming, "I want Blaise!"

"I will follow right behind you." Blaise said gently, "go with Remus now, Bella."

"Harry! Harry can save me! Harry always saves me." She heard Harry cry out. Then, Remus turned and she saw everyone's worried faces. Then, he seemed to have turned again for they were somewhere else. She heaved from the movement, puking all over her werewolf.

"HELP!" Remus cried, bare feet slapping the marble floor, "Someone, help!" Somewhere, in the back of Hermione's mind, she registered that his eyes were a strange reddish yellow. Then, a Healer was talking.

"How do you know something is very wrong then, sir?"

"I can smell it, blast you! Help her!"

"You can sm…oh, I see." The Healer conjured a stretcher, "Sir, take deep breaths. I must know, is she also infected?"

"No." Remus growled, "she is not." Then, everything went black.

Hermione woke to a cool rag on her face and hands holding hers. One was much larger than hers, enveloping it. The other was just a bit larger and quite a bit wider. She smiled, that was Harry and Ron. Then, she opened her eyes. Blaise sat guard at the end of her bed, leaned lazily on the bed post; Harry and Ron sat on either side like bodyguards. Over her feet, keeping them warm, was a large black dog. She was at Grimmauld Place.

"It's good to see you're awake, dear!" Molly cooed as she came in with soup. The three boys in the room started, having not realized this and Hermione wondered why Blaise hadn't fallen off the bed post. "Tell me, do you feel better?"

Hermione nodded, sitting up,

"Yes, Molly."

"Let's see then." Molly said, setting down the tray. She felt of Hermione's forehead, fussed over her, even took her pulse before nodding, "you are officially in the clear."

"What happened?" Hermione asked, "I remember going to Blaise and then he took me…we were flying… to Remus. And then Remus was turning around an awful lot and Sirius was yelling for him to run but he kept spinning. Then… oh no! Did he morph?! Molly, what happened, what was that?"

"Hallucinations." She nodded, "you were very ill. Blaise wasn't flying, dear, he was running. Remus wasn't turning about, he was apparating you to St. Mungos. Sirius was yelling to run though. He took you to St. Mungos, sweetheart. You had dragonpox. Of course, Harry seems immune and everyone else had it when they were small."

"He's not immune." Sirius said, "he had them when he was a baby."

"You were very, very sick, Mione." Harry told her. Blaise remained sentry as they all fussed over her, waiting.

As soon as they were gone, he stood and came to sit beside her, checking her temperature with the back of his hand for himself. Vaguely, a foggy memory came back to her. She was in a hospital bed, waiting for potions to kick in and Blaise was reading to her at her bedside. She smiled,

"Grazi, Blaise."

"Prego." He smiled, "I am glad you are okay."

"You're wondering what other dangerous diseases I could get." She called him out. He nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. "I'll be okay, Blaise."